Mr. Hitchcock to Mr.
Day.
Embassy
of the United States,
St.
Petersburg, September 12,
1898.
No. 150.]
Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith for
the files of the Department copy of my note dated [August 27] September
8, officially acknowledging the receipt of his excellency’s note dated
August 12–24, conveying the invitation of His Imperial Majesty the
Emperor to the Government of the United States to participate in an
international conference in favor of national economy and international
peace, and informing his excellency in reply that the President
cordially concurs in the spirit of the proposal of His Imperial Majesty
and will send a representative to the international conference, thus
confirming
[Page 545]
the contents of Mr.
Moore’s telegram which was received September the 7th and read by me on
that date to His Excellency Count Mouravieff, as advised in my No. 144
of September 8.
I have, etc.,
[Inclosure.]
Mr. Hitchcock to
Count Mouravieff.
Embassy of the United States,
St. Petersburg, August 27 (September 8),
1898.
Your Excellency: Having heretofore
personally acknowledged the receipt of your excellency’s note of
August 12–24, 1898, conveying the invitation of His Imperial Majesty
the Emperor to my Government to participate in the international
conference in which all the governments having duly accredited
representatives at the imperial court have been invited to
participate, for the purpose of exchanging ideas in furtherance of
national economy and international peace in the interest of humanity
as the supreme duty of governments, so forcibly and eloquently set
forth in your excellency’s note, I have the honor and the very great
pleasure to inform your excellency that, though the war with Spain
renders it impracticable for the Government of the United States to
consider the present reduction of its armaments, which even now are
doubtless far below the measure which the principal powers would be
willing to adopt, the President cordially concurs in the spirit of
the proposal of His Imperial Majesty and will send a representative
to the international conference.
I avail myself, etc.,
